Check out some of these new bullets to feed your favorite new rifle.
Hornady
The latest and greatest at Hornady is the CX (Copper eXpanding) lineup, and their new ECX bullets, too. (ECX stands for Extreme Copper alloy eXpanding.)
The Hornady GMX line got a new 90-grain .243, a 140-grain .264 and a 225-grain .338 bullet. The FTX line gets a 120-grain 7mm, as well as a 165-grain .355 to load the .350 Legend.
Their Interlock lineup also adds a 170-grain .355 bullet for the .350 Legend, too. Another Interlock bullet in 45 caliber weighing 245 grains will be added, too.
Looking for the ideal subsonic expanding bullet for the 300 Blackout? The Sub-X 190-grain pill should do the trick. Last but not least is a 60-grain V-Max for loading the 5.45x39mm Soviet.
Federal
Achieve high performance handloading with Federal’s new Terminal Ascent component bullets. Federal Premium Terminal Ascent component bullets’ bonded construction fuels deep penetration on close targets, while the patented Slipstream polymer tip initiates expansion at velocities 200 fps lower than comparable designs. The bullet’s long, sleek profile offers an extremely high ballistic coefficient, and its AccuChannel groove technology improves accuracy and minimizes drag. Now available in a full selection bullet weights and diameters for loading the most popular long-range cartridges.
These match-grade long-range bonded hunting bullets offer extremely high ballistic coefficients, while their exclusive Slipstream polymer tip helps flatten trajectories and initiate low-velocity expansion. High BCs also mean less wind drift and drag, too. Their copper shank and bonded lead core retain weight for deep penetration at any range.
Five new bullets in four calibers cover a wide assortment reloading needs. The first is a .264 caliber that weighs 130 grains and has a .263 G7 BC. Next up is a .270 caliber pill that should give a boost to grandpa’s .270 Winchester. It weighs 136-grains with a .247 G7 BC. The 7mm Terminal Ascent weighs 155 grains, and boasts a .300 G7 BC. Lastly, two .308 bullets weighing 175 and 200 grains offer a .258 and .304 G7 ballistic coefficient. All these new bullets come in 50-count boxes and range in price from $52.95 to $54.95.
Sierra
Sierra Bullets, with more than 70 years of bullet innovation and precision craftsmanship, announces the expansion of its legendary bullet lines with eight new additions for 2020. From varmints to big-game hunting, Sierra Bullets provides unparalleled precision using the industry’s most advanced manufacturing facilities.
The new rifle bullets include two .22 caliber bullets for specialty hunting, .243 caliber for hunting larger varmints, deer and pronghorn, the .284 caliber for big game, three new .30 caliber bullets for varmints and big game and the .264 caliber with a closed aerodynamic nose designed for rifles with 1:8 twist or faster.
The .22 caliber offerings include a 62-grain SBT Game King and a Tipped Game King. Stepping up to .24 caliber, a 100-grain Tipped Game King was added, too. To fuel the 6.5mm craze a 130-grain Match King was added to the lineup. If you’re looking for 7mm bullets, then the 150-grain Tipped Game King will augment your selection. Looking for a light-weight .30? Sierra’s new 125-grain Tipped Game King will work in everything from a 300 BLK to a sizzling .30-06 and up. If you want a thin-skinned slug, check out the hollow-point Varninter in .30 cal. The last new bullet to come online is the 180-grain .30 caliber Tipped Game King.
Speer
Looking for a good defensive bullet? Check out Speer’s Gold Dot Personal Protection. Law enforcement professionals trust the Gold Dot bullet design with their lives every day. Now Speer offers consumers the same performance in a new line of personal protection rifle bullets. Their exclusive manufacturing process bonds the uniform jacket to the core one atom at a time, ensuring proper expansion and nearly 100 percent weight retention. The result is superb accuracy and immediate, threat-stopping performance. Gold Dot technology virtually eliminates core/jacket separations and produces a very uniform jacket for consistent penetration and expansion through common barriers.
Gold Dot .224 caliber 55-, 62- and 75-grain 100-count packs will retail for $23.95. Stepping up to .264 caliber, the 120-grain Gold Dot 50-count packs will sell for $14.95, while the same caliber 140-grain Gold Dots 50-count packs will retail for $18.95. A couple of popular weights for the 6.8 SPC are the Gold Dot 115- and 90-grain Gold Dot bullets. The 90s will sell for $14.95, while the heavier bullets for a couple bucks more. Thirty caliber fans will get a new 150-grain Gold Dot dedicated to 300 AAC Blackout, as well as another 150-grain and 168-grain bullet. The 150-grainers will retail for $16.95 for a 50-count box, and the 168s for two dollars more. Last but not least is a 123-grain .310 caliber bullet to load for your AK-47’s 7.62x39mm Soviet. Half a hundred will set you back $16.95.
Handloading hunters know about Speer’s Grand Slam bullets. Their tapered, precision-drawn jackets and a long noses mean the Grand Slam is engineered to blow through the thick hides, heavy bones and tough bodies of the world’s biggest game without sacrificing accuracy. On impact, internal jacket flutes allow consistent expansion, yet the bullet retains most of its weight for deep penetration.
Speer’s expanded Grand Slam lineup includes a 140-grain 6.5mm, 100-grain .243 cal. and 120-grain .257 cal.
The 6.5mm and .243 come in 50-count packs for $29.95, while the .257s sell for $33.95.
If you’re looking to beef up your 5.56 or .30 caliber stash, check out Speer’s TMJ. Standard FMJ bullets sacrifice accuracy by adding a separate piece of jacket to cover the bullet base, or leave exposed lead. Speer TMJ bullets, however, totally encapsulate the lead core for cleaner, more accurate performance. Handloaders now have two new TMJ rifle bullet options to choose from: a 55-grain 224 cal. and a 150-grain .308 cal.
The .224 cal. 55-grain TMJ 100-count boxes sell for $16.95, while the NEW .308 cal. 150-grain TMJ come in 50-count packs for $10.95.
Nosler
For those wanting to squeeze the most performance from their competition rifle, Nosler’s new RDF (Reduced Drag Factor) match bullet line is an ideal choice.
Nosler’s RDF line was designed from the ground up to provide exceptionally high BCs, which create flat trajectory and low wind drift. The keys to the RDF’s outstanding performance are Nosler’s meticulously optimized compound ogive and long, drag-reducing boattail, which make handloading a snap and create an incredibly sleek form factor. RDF bullets also have the smallest, most consistent meplats of any hollow-point match bullet line, so there is no need to point or trim tips.
Their new .22 caliber bullet weighs 77 grains. Its 0.965 overall length produces a G1 ballistic coefficient of .454. The G7 BC is 0.226. Its sectional density is 0.219.
The new 6mm RDF has a G1 BC of 0.634, a G7 BC of 0.312 and weighs 115 grains. Its overall length is 1.350.
Fans of .30 caliber match guns will appreciate Nosler’s new 168-grain RDF. It has a G1 BC of 0.505, and a G7 BC of 0.253. Its OAL is 1.320.
Rounding out the new RDF lineup is a 300-grain .338 projectile.
The .224, 6mm and .30 caliber bullets are available in 100 and 500-count quantities, while the .338 version is only available in 100-count quantities.
Berger
Berger’s new long-range Hybrid Target Bullets provide less than 1 percent variation in Ballistic Coefficient, and they’re Doppler radar proven. Berger’s new Meplat Reduction Technology (MRT) system applies controlled pressure along the projectile nose, producing a homogeneous, and repeatable bullet profile. This unique pointing process increases the ballistic coefficient 3-5 percent.
Berger Hybrid Target
| Cal/Weight | G1/G7 BCs |
| .22 cal. 85.5 grain | .524/.268 |
| 6mm 109 grain | .568/.292 |
| 6.5mm 144 grain | .655/.336 |
| 7mm 190 grain | .751/.384 |
| .30 cal. 208 grain | .689/.354 |
| .30 cal. 220 grain | .717/.369 |
Each new Berger bullet had some industry support for respective disciplines: The 85.5-grain bullet has been extensively tested by Palma shooters in .223 Remington LR bolt-action rifles. The 6mm 109-grain was tested by many top PRS competitors successfully, and has a great following already. The 6.5mm is also a go-to for PRS competitors, though to a lesser extent since 6mm is most popular in PRS. The 7mm 190-grain was developed with the support of the US Rifle Team F-Open, while the .30 cal. 208-grain was developed with support from the US Rifle Team F-TR.
Also, new in 2020 are the following Berger hunting bullets. Their 6.5mm 156-grain EOL Elite Hunter Bullet. It’s an awesome hunting bullet for larger volume 6.5s such as Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 SAUM, 6.5/284, 6.5/300 Weatherby and more. Thirty caliber fans will like the 245-grain Elite Hunter Projectile. This one’s made for big .30s such as .300 Rem Ultra Mag, .300 PRC, Wby, .300 Win Mag, etc. Need a little more velocity in the same cartridges? Check out the 205-grain .30 cal. Elite Hunter, too. Loading for a fast 6mm hunting rifle? Check out the 108-grain Elite Hunter.
These new bullets will give you plenty to play with when working up loads to find that “perfect” handload. You can find them and more at Brownells.
You Might Also Like:
Easy Reloading: 300 Blackout AR-Style Rifle
Handloading for Ruger’s American Predator Rifle in 6.5 Grendel
9 Top Tips for Handloading AR-15 Ammo
Loading The New 300 PRC
Harnessing Hornady’s 6mm ARC with Accurate Handloads
More About Jay Langston